MAIN INGREDIENTS
This hearty Greek soup couples tender beef meatballs and a creamy, flavorful broth. The meatballs and the broth are usually seasoned with various fresh herbs, and the whole dish is finished with the addition of avgolemono—the creamy egg and lemon sauce—which thickens the broth and adds the characteristical zesty flavor.
Traditionally associated with wintertime, youvarlakia is usually accompanied by bread and enjoyed as a nutritious main course.
Flavorful, fluffy, and tender, keftedakia are Greek meatballs made from a combination of ground pork and beef, eggs, stale bread or breadcrumbs, and seasonings such as dill, pepper, parsley, and oregano. The mixture is shaped into small balls which are then fried in olive oil.
Their round shape makes them ideal for popular Greek picnics where keftedakia are consumed as snacks, but the meatballs can also be consumed as appetizers or as a main course. It is recommended to top the meatballs with some butter and a squeeze of lemon juice for extra flavor.
MOST ICONIC Keftedakia
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chiftele are crispy, deep-fried Romanian meatballs traditionally made from minced pork or chicken, bread crumbs, and mashed potatoes, flavored abundantly with onions, garlic, lovage, and parsley leaves. Apart from the traditional meat-based chiftele, there are also those made from vegetables such as potatoes, peas, or mushrooms.
They can be enjoyed as a main course with mustard or mayonnaise, or as a snack, when they are accompanied by tomatoes, cheese, cucumbers, and radish.
VARIATIONS OF Chiftele
İzmir köfte is a Turkish comfort food dish consisting of köfte (meatballs), peppers, and potatoes in a simple tomato sauce. The dish can either be prepared on a stove or baked in the oven. Köfte are typically made with ground beef or lamb, onions, flour, stale bread, and eggs, flavored with a variety of spices such as red pepper flakes, cumin, black pepper, and mint.
Before serving, İzmir köfte are traditionally garnished with chopped parsley on top. It is recommended to use plain rice or a slice of crusty bread as accompaniments. The dish originated and was named after Smyrni, or modern-day Izmir, where it was initially prepared by Greek citizens and was called soutzoukakia smyrneika.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
These delectable fried meatballs are prepared in both Albania and Kosovo either as a main dish or an appetizer. The origin of qofte fërguara can be ascribed to Turkish and Middle Eastern influence on the region, evident in both the ingredients and the method of preparation.
The mixture for the meatballs is made by combining either minced lamb or beef, and sometimes even chicken meat with feta cheese, garlic, onions, breadcrumbs, and mint leaves. The mixture is seasoned with salt, pepper, often oregano, and sometimes cinnamon.
MOST ICONIC Qofte fërguara
This classic Bulgarian dish consisting of meatballs in rich tomato sauce is an authentic delicacy from the city of Chirpan. The region around the city is famous for the production of numerous vegetables, so it is no surprise that kjufteta po Chirpanski uses lots of them.
The meatballs are typically prepared with ground meat, onions, eggs, cumin, salt, pepper, and flour, while the sauce uses a variety of vegetables and spices such as onions, tomatoes, celery, paprika, parsley, bell peppers, and garlic. It is believed that almost every home in Chirpan has its own version of the dish and uses their own combination of herbs and spices.
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